Publications
Publications
- April 2015 (Revised December 2020)
- HBS Case Collection
The German Export Engine
By: Gunnar Trumbull and Jonathan Schlefer
Abstract
In fall of 2018, Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel had logged significant successes. Germany was the largest exporter in the world, had maintained low unemployment through the 2008 financial crisis, and was gradually reforming its welfare state to meet future pension liabilities. Yet it still faced considerable challenges. Within Europe, the Eurozone financial crisis continued to hold down economic growth, and the burden of leadership to find a solution seemed to fall on Merkel’s shoulders. The refugee inflows of 2015-2016 had been slowed, but they had ignited a rise in political support for the far right in Germany and other European countries. And Britain was in the middle of a negotiated exit from the European Union. Could Germany sustain its recent economic success? Was Germany’s success compatible with a stable and prosperous Europe?
Keywords
Citation
Trumbull, Gunnar, and Jonathan Schlefer. "The German Export Engine." Harvard Business School Case 715-045, April 2015. (Revised December 2020.)